Hero's Fate
by Aryll Jaynn
Summary: Darkness has overtaken Hyrule. A time of war is arising and it is up to the Hero to bring peace to the land...or is it? When their destinies are intertwined once again, Link and Princess Zelda must work together to save their beloved land from doom. Little do they know, the Goddesses have something slightly different in mind this time to ensure darkness will never rise again.
1. Prologue

**Hey everybody, I'm back with another Zelda fanfic! This is my first multi-chapter story and I've been working on it for a really long time now. I'm so excited to finally be sharing it with you all! This story was inspired by Hyrule Warriors, so the beginning is kind of how I imagined what the game's story would be like before it came out. I've tried to include as many of the Zelda characters as I possibly can, and there's not really a specific "world" this fanfic belongs in. It's basically a generic Hyrule Kingdom, with a combination of the worlds from different Zelda games surrounding it...if that makes any sense. ^^**

 **As always, please no hateful reviews but feedback would be great! I really hope you enjoy this story! Onward to the prologue!**

 **~Aryll Jaynn :)**

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Prologue

Link watched as the clouds roared to life above the giant mountains one rainy night. He knew what was coming for him and his family and he did not like it.

Lightning struck, and the sound was intense. Almost enough to make the fire burning in the corner of Link's small room burn out. Link sheathed his sword, a grim expression on his face. Today was the day.

He got up and walked out into the main room of his family's small house. It was a cozy cabin, barely big enough for him, his sister, Aryll, and his grandmother. However, from time to time, Link's friend Ilia and her father came to stay when things got rough. But during this Era, things were rough all the time. Hyrule had become a cold, dark place full of misery and suffering.

Towns had been run over with hunger. The monsters sent by Ganondorf, a thief from a country west of Hyrule, came to set villages on fire. Families starved, people died trying to fight. Link sighed. Things were rough all over.

Rumor had passed through Ordon, Link's hometown, that Ganondorf was planning an all out war with Hyrule for complete control. Young men and some women from every village were being trained to fight. They would present themselves in front of the Hyrulean army, as well as Princess Zelda, Hyrule's crown princess and leader. The generals were calling for people to come to Hyrule Castle to present themselves to the army, and many were going. Link was sure he wanted to do the same. He scowled at the thought of war. Ganondorf was causing everyone Link cared about to suffer, and he would pay the price in full debt.

Link had spent his entire life training with a sword. His father used to teach Link and Aryll self-defense back when he and Link's mother were still alive. Ganondorf's army had killed them as well.

Link made his way over to the cabinet where he pulled out a small bag which he used as a wallet. He looked inside to find two red Rupees, which equaled forty in total. This would be enough to get him to Hyrule Castle.

The said center of Hyrule was a long way from Ordon. It would take many weeks on foot at the least.

Link placed the wallet in his green tunic, and attached his wooden shield to the back. He was ready.

Link walked into the back of the house, where his grandmother and sister lay in bed, sound asleep. He looked at them sadly. He would miss them dearly.

As he was about to leave, he heard someone approach behind him. When he turned, he saw Aryll standing there in her blue nightgown, shivering in the cold room.

"Brother?" she whispered. "Where are you going?"

Link looked at his sister's beautiful azure eyes. She was a very happy child before, always laughing and smiling. But the new conditions of Hyrule had set even her into a serious stage. She was now always grim, with a rare smile for her friends, Beth, Colin and Talo, whom she'd known since childhood.

Link studied her very skinny figure and frowned. Aryll was supposed to be eating like any other thirteen year old girl. She was supposed to have nice, warm clothes and shelter. She and their grandmother were supposed to have a normal life, with no problems whatsoever.

Aryll needed her smile and laughter back. Grandma needed her strength. And Link needed them both to be happy.

Link sighed and walked over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder and leading her over to the small fireplace that Rusl, Colin's father, had built for them.

"Aryll," he said gently, as he started a fire, "I'm going to Hyrule Castle to become a knight."

She gasped, turning from the burning embers to him. "What? But, Link, that's so dangerous! The castle is so far away, you can't just-"

"Listen," Link interrupted softly, hoping not to wake their grandmother, "Aryll, I'm taking Epona with me. She'll keep me safe. And I have my sword in case anything goes wrong."

Aryll sighed, her blond hair draping to cover her face slightly. "Link," she whispered, barely audible, "I'm really scared..." suddenly, she sobbed, and tears flowed down her pale cheeks.

Link pulled her into a warm embrace. "Hey, it's okay," he said, "I know things are bad right now, and that's why I'm going to go and stop them from getting any worse."

She shook beneath Link's arms. "But how am I going to take care of things while your gone? I'm not as strong as you are, Link."

He stroked her back. "Yes, you are, Aryll. I know it. Father trained both of us to fight, remember? We need to be brave in these dark times."

She let go of him and nodded, wiping her eyes. "Okay," she said. "But Link, why do you want to go, anyway?"

His expression turned dark as he spoke softly but firmly, "Because I want revenge, Aryll. They took our parents' lives. If I become a knight, I can help defeat Ganondorf and avenge Mother and Father, two more innocent people whose lives were cut short because of him."

She nodded sadly. "I understand."

Link smiled weakly. His poor little sister had to grow up so fast in order to take care of their weakening grandmother and the rest of the village, as well. Aryll was wise for her thirteen years, brave, too. She would never panic in tough times, and would always find a way to help others.

"Before you go though, Link," Aryll said after a moment. She pulled out a blue cloth from behind her back. "I want you to have this."

When Link looked down at her hands, he saw that it was a delicately embroidered blue scarf with a red outer border and a symbol of the Triforce indicated on the bottom. It was soft to the touch, warm, too.

"To keep you warm," Aryll said softly, "and to remind you of home."

Link smiled as his sister wrapped the scarf around his neck, warming him thoroughly. "Thank you, Aryll," he said. "I'll treasure it forever."

She smiled weakly in response and hugged him. "Be careful, okay?" she said through the storm billowing outside. "And come back soon."

Link nodded. "I promise," he replied. Before he could change his mind, Link quickly kissed his sister's forehead and then made his way outside into the cold, dark storm.

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 **Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a review! :) Oh, and this is rated T just for some violence and heavy themes. No swearing or mature content.**


	2. Chapter 1

**I'm back! Here's the first chapter of "Hero's Fate"...I was going to wait to post it, but decided to do it now since I just finished editing it. Chapter One is pretty long, and I should have broken it up into pieces, but then I'd have to go through all the chapters and rename them! I really don't want to do that! Lol ^^ Keep in mind, I wrote this chapter a while ago and even though I edited it, my writing style in this one is slightly different than it is presently. You'll probably see some sort of a transition from writing style as the chapters go on, since throughout my process in writing this, I gained more practice and was able to improve. Anyway, enjoy chapter one!**

 **~Aryll Jaynn**

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Chapter One

Link made his way over to the stables where his horse, Epona, was standing silently, waiting for him. Link stroked the mare's neck before grabbing a saddle and then attaching it to Epona's back.

As Link was about to grab Epona's reigns and lead her outside, a voice came from behind and startled him.

"Going somewhere?" it asked softly.

Link turned abruptly, almost loosing his balance. "Who's there?" he asked uncertainly.

A girl came out from behind the shadows. She looked about sixteen years old, with short blond hair that was curled into a flip shape. But her eyes were the feature that gave her the most attention. Startling emerald, like small jewels that twinkled when she was happy and dimmed when she was upset.

Link lowered his sword but gasped slightly. "Ilia?" he asked. "What are you doing? It's freezing out here, why aren't you wearing a cloak?"

She looked at him, the emerald gems that were her eyes glowing with intensity. "What am _I_ doing?" she asked, giving his sacks of supplies a pointed look. "What do you think _you're_ doing, Link?"

Link looked down at his feet and at the sacks. He sighed, knowing that now that he'd been caught by his childhood best friend, there was no way she was going to let him leave now. "I'm going to Hyrule Castle," he started slowly.

Ilia raised an eyebrow. "Whatever for?"

He looked back up at her, and his azure eyes met Ilia's green ones. "To become a knight." he finished.

Ilia looked at him and frowned, slowly processing her friend's intentions. She sighed after a moment and then walked towards him, her arms crossed across her pale white sleeveless top, with her feet bare and her legs covered with light brown colored capri pants.

Link watched her approaching and said quickly, "Look, I know you're going to stop me, Ilia, but-"

"Link," she interrupted, now standing a few inches away. "Don't worry. I won't stop you."

He looked back at her, confused. "Really?"

She looked up. "Yeah, I mean, you're just chasing after your dream. I don't want to be the one keeping you from achieving your goal." Ilia smiled a tiny bit. "Besides, you've been my friend since before I can remember. It's time for the rest of the world to see how amazing you truly are, Link."

Link looked at his friend, who was shivering in the cold, but staying strong nonetheless. He looked at her smiling, encouraging face, and nodded gratefully.

"Thanks, Ilia. That means a lot." he pulled her into a hug.

"No problem, Link." she whispered in his embrace.

They stayed that way for a moment before Ilia let go and said softly, "Just promise me this, Link. Whatever you do, and wherever you go...Don't try to do anything out of your league."

He cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Ilia said, "Just...come home safely, okay?"

Link nodded. "I will, Ilia. Don't worry."

There was a silence. Finally Link said, "Take care of Aryll and my grandmother while I'm gone, okay?"

Ilia nodded. "Of course, Link. Their practically my family now, too. Everyone in Ordon is."

Link nodded. "You're the best, Ilia." he grinned.

She smiled, and with one last wave goodbye, she left.

...

Link hoisted himself up onto his horse, Epona. He placed the small sack of food he had packed for the journey in front of him and then, with one last look at Ordon in the dark night, he set off for Hyrule Castle.

The moon was out and a crisp breeze blew through Link's neck. The rain had stopped, but obviously not for long. The dark clouds were still lingering over head.

Link pulled his sister's hand made scarf around himself, trying to keep from chattering. He had made it about a third of a mile out from Ordon when he felt suddenly very sleepy. But he couldn't sleep. Not while his journey was just beginning. Link just sighed and continued urging Epona on.

"When you're tired, I'm tired." he told the brown horse. "Let's keep going for now."

Link found himself thinking about his childhood, when Aryll was only seven and he was eleven. He recalled the memory of his father teaching them both combat skills...

...

 _Link grunted as he struggled to get a hit on his father's left leg with the fake training sword he had gotten for his birthday. When he failed to do so, Link sighed._

" _Why am I not getting this?" the little boy asked, exasperated with himself. "Father, what am I doing wrong?"_

" _Nothing, son," his father replied. "You just need practice, that's all."_

" _Daddy, Link! Look at me!" a cheerful voice called. Father and son turned to look at Aryll, who was pretending to be a knight._

" _Hyah!" she yelled, stabbing a sack of flour with a fake blade. "Take that, monster!"_

 _Father smiled warmly at his daughter. "Atta girl, Aryll," he said encouragingly. "You'll definitely be the Hero of Hyrule someday!"_

 _Link smiled at his younger sister. She, unlike most other girls in Ordon, was more about fighting skills and knights rather than dolls and dress-up._

" _I swear, Heron, you're making my children more and more aggressive every day," a voice said from the door._

 _Father smiled at his wife while the children continued their playing. "Whoever said they were just_ your _children, Rela?" he asked cheerfully._

 _Rela laughed, her smile brightening the whole room. "Oh, you're too much," she teased. Then, turning to her son and daughter she said, "Now, now, my heroes, it's time for dinner, so put your weapons away and take a break, for Farore's sake!"_

 _Aryll and Link giggled at their mother's rhyme scheme, and followed Father over to the dining room, where Grandma was setting up the food._

" _Grandma!" yelped Aryll with delight, "You made Elixer Soup! That's my favorite!"_

 _The elderly woman smiled. "I made it just for my grandchildren," she said warmly. "Now come along, let's say our prayers to the Goddesses before we begin,"_

 _The five of them made their way to the Alter of the Goddesses in the living room. Every household in Hyrule had one, even the poorer ones. Each Alter had the symbol of the Triforce made of marble, with a small statue of each Golden Goddess, the creators of the Triforce._

" _Oh, Goddesses of Legend," began Grandma, "we thank thee humbly for our lives, and for the lives of those we love."_

" _May you rest peacefully in the Sacred Realm," Mother continued, "and may you watch over us and our loved ones forever."_

" _Thank you, Din, for your power," Father said, "Thank you, Nayru, for your wisdom,"_

" _And thank you, Farore, for your courage," Link and Aryll said simultaneously, ending the nightly prayer._

 _..._

Link smiled weakly at the memory. Then, he realized that, if he was going to survive to trip to the castle, he would have to pray to the Goddesses.

Even the shortest route to the castle took at least two weeks on horseback, not to mention it was the most monster-infested. Link would have to put all of his training to use if he wanted to live.

Link and Epona kept going for another week or so, stopping only to rest at nightfall and getting up in the early hours of the day. He stopped by some villages to stock up on supplies, but other than that, the trip was oddly uneventful.

There were no monsters, no sign of people, not even any animals. The boredom was getting to Link as he struggled to keep his eyes open as the sun set the next evening, the eighth day of his journey.

When Link was just about to doze off, an odd color caught his eye. He lifted up his head to see a very big and buff person standing to the off side of the rode, wearing a red engineer suit and cap. Standing next to him was another man in a blue shirt and pants, with a small pictobox tied around his neck. They both were waving their arms madly in an attempt to catch Link's attention.

Link raised an eyebrow. Why would these people be standing on the rode at this late hour? There weren't any towns nearby that Link had heard of...so who were these people?

"Please! I beg you, good sir!" the engineer called.

Link halted to a stop near the two men. He stayed on Epona, keeping one hand on the reigns.

"Can I help you?" Link asked, looking back and forth from both men.

"Please! Do you know of a doctor around here? We need your help!" the pictobox man yelled frantically.

"Well, no," replied Link. "I'm sorry. But what is it that you need?"

"My fiancée..." the engineer sobbed. "She's fallen very ill!"

"What's wrong with her?" Link asked gently, trying to calm the man. "Wait, tell me your names first,"

"I'm Ferrus," the pictobox man said. "This is my pal here, Alfonzo. His fiancée, Lina, has gotten very sick, and we don't know what to do about it.."

Link looked in front of him at the trail leading to Hyrule Castle, and then back at the two men. He sighed.

"Well, I'm kind of in a hurry," he said, "but let me see if I can help you out,"

The two of them nodded gratefully. "Oh, thank you!" sobbed Alfonzo. "Come, please! Our village is this way!"

Link tied Epona to a nearby tree and followed Alfonzo and Ferrus into a large gateway leading to a very small area with a few houses.

"I didn't know there was a village all the way out here," Link whispered to Ferrus.

The pictobox wielder merely shrugged. "Aboda's never been big enough to be on a map. I reckon it's 'cause it's just so isolated. No one really lives here besides me and Alfonzo's family, and a few others,"

Link nodded understandingly.

"What's your name?" asked Ferrus, wiping his pictobox lens.

"Link." he replied back.

"Hm...That's an odd name. Where you comin' from?"

"Ordon," answered Link, thinking about his home. "Ordon Village. One of the only ones not...you know,"

Ferrus nodded again. "Attacked by monsters, huh?" he finished for him.

"Yeah," Link said quietly.

Alfonzo led Link into a small hut in the eastern side of town. There, Link saw a woman, probably in her early twenties, laying on the bed near a small fireplace. She looked pale and had her eyes shut tight. There was another man sitting near her, looking very frightened as well. He had dark brown hair and stubble, and he was dressed in a blue tuxedo type suit with a hat.

"Linebeck, move outta the way!" screeched Ferrus, giving a look to the man on the bed beside the young woman.

Linebeck scowled. "She's _my_ sister!" he hissed through gritted teeth. "It's my duty to take care of her!" he turned his gaze towards Link. "Who's this guy?"

Alfonzo turned to Link, ignoring Linebeck's inquiry. "Can you take a look at her, um..."

"His name's Link." Ferrus informed him.

"OK, can you look at her, Link?"

Link nodded, walking over to the woman. He wasn't much of a doctor, but he knew by learning from his mother which illness could be cured with what.

Link looked at the woman's pale face. She had dark brown hair and what seemed to be a pretty face. Link placed a hand on her forehead to check her temperature. As soon as he did so, he pulled back abruptly. Touching her forehead alone was like walking through fire.

"She's really hot," Link said finally.

"Ex _cuse_ me?!" Linebeck snarled, glaring at Link. "Hey! Don't you go drooling over her, too! She's an engaged woman, for Din's sake!" He suddenly turned to Alfonzo. "See that? Your sidewalk road doctor is hitting on your bride-to-be! Not to mention, my baby sister!"

There was a stunned silence as Link suddenly turned beet red and regretted his previous choice of words. "That's not what I meant," he said firmly. "I mean, her skin is literally burning like fire."

Alfonzo's face paled and Ferrus shook his head sadly.

"Where is she? Where's Lina?!" a breathless voice called from behind them.

Link turned to see another young woman standing there with a man. They both had worried looks on their faces, as well.

The Hylian woman, probably the same age as Lina, had short, red hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a brown top with a long blue skirt and some designs at the bottom. The man had dark hair and was wearing a purple colored shirt and dark pants.

"Anju, Kafei," Alfonzo said, noticing them. "Thank goodness you're here."

"We came as soon as we could," replied the man, Kafei, walking over to Lina. "How's she doing?"

Alfonzo frowned, turning to Link. "What do you think?" he asked.

Link looked from person to person. He sighed. They were counting on him, a simple farm boy with no medical experience to cure someone they cared about.

He looked at them sadly. "I'm really sorry," he said quietly, "but I'm not a doctor. I don't know."

The rest of the people in the room glanced at each other worriedly.

"Then why're you still here?" snapped Linebeck. "Get outta the house!"

"Linebeck!" Anju hissed. She turned to Link. "The poor boy looks like he hasn't been resting for days! Come here, sweety,"

Link walked over to her, confused. Why were they (discluding Linebeck) not telling him to leave? And was he really looking that bad? Link suddenly felt very self-conscious.

Alfonzo, Ferrus, and Linebeck stayed by Lina's side, with Alfonzo saying quietly, "It'll be okay, sweetheart, don't worry," Link could tell that Alfonzo was trying more to convince himself rather than her.

Anju studied over Link, taking him in. "Hm..." she said. "Kafei, do you think we have room for him to stay here overnight?"

"I suppose so," Kafei replied. "But not in our house, that's for sure."

Anju nodded. "Yes, with all the luggage we still need to clear out..." she muttered, mostly to herself.

"Oh..." Link said. "Um, thank you, but I don't need to stay overnight. I'm kind of in a hurry, you see,"

"Nonsense!" Anju said. "Dear, you look very tired. Besides, it's too dangerous to go out at night! Leave tomorrow morning at the least."

She grabbed his arm, leading him outside with Kafei.

"What's your name, my boy?" Kafei asked as soon as they were walking out.

"I'm Link, Mr...um..."

"Kafei," the dark haired man replied. "And no 'Mr' in front of it, got that?" he smiled. "I'm not that old. And this is my wife, Anju."

"Pleasure to meet you," Anju said courteously. "Right this way, honey,"

The kind couple led Link over to what seemed like a vacant house, but as soon as they got close, Link heard a voice say, "Romani, it's late. Go to bed,"

Kafei knocked on the door. A moment later, a girl appeared in front of them. She had long, vibrant red hair and blue eyes. She wore a pale white top with a long purple skirt and a yellow scarf around her neck. On her waist was a belt with the symbol of the Triforce on the buckle.

"Uh, h-hello, Kafei," she said a bit breathlessly, her face red. When she noticed Anju standing there as well she said, "Oh hey, Anju. What's going on? Is everything okay? Who's this?" she asked, eyeing Link curiously.

"Cremia," said Anju, "we were wondering if you had any space available for Link here to stay. He's had a long journey,"

"Oh..." Cremia said after a moment. "Well, we have only one bedroom. But I suppose he could sleep on the couch if he doesn't mind..."

Anju smiled. "Thanks, Cremia," she said, giving her a one-armed hug.

She then looked from Cremia to Link and said, "Well, we'll be going now. Good night, Link! See you both tomorrow!"

Link smiled and waved as Anju started walking off while Kafei stayed behind for a moment. "Thanks again, Cremia. You know we don't really have much room in our house, so it's nice of you to do this, " he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Cremia blushed slightly, looking at Kafei's hand on her shoulder before answering, "No, no, it's alright, Kafei. I...um.."

"Kafei! Come on, dear," Anju called from a few yards away.

"Yeah. Well, see you later, Cremia. Good night, Link." Kafei said shortly before running off to meet Anju.

Cremia turned to look at Link. She studied him for a moment before smiling and saying, "Come on in,"

She led Link into the small house. There was a very tiny couch in the left side with a table, and a small kitchen off to the right. Down the middle, Link could see a small flicker of a candle in a room which he guessed was Cremia's.

"Romani!" Cremia called into the room, "Why is the candle still on? I told you to put it out."

"Sorry, Sister," a young voice replied, "I'll put it out now."

Cremia sighed. She turned to Link after a moment before saying, "Um, have a seat on the couch. I'll get you something to eat."

"Oh, that's alright," Link said, "I'm fine, really."

"You sure?" she asked.

Link nodded. "Yeah, I think I'll just go straight to sleep."

Cremia shrugged. "Well, okay, I guess. There's a blanket on the couch already, but if you need anything else," she extended her hand. "I'm Cremia."

Link took her hand. "I'm Link," he replied.

She nodded. "Here, I'll get you a pitcher of water in case you get thirsty." she walked into the kitchen, her face now blocked from Link's view.

"So, how old are you?" Cremia asked after a moment, trying to make conversation.

Link sat down on the couch. "Um, seventeen..." he answered slowly, not expecting the question.

"Hm.." Cremia mused. "Just slightly older than me, then."

"How old are you?" Link asked tentatively. He had learned a while ago that it was rude to ask a woman her age.

But Cremia just shrugged. "I'll be seventeen in a couple of months."

Link nodded, not knowing what else to say.

"My sister and I just moved here a few months ago," Cremia explained. Link could hear her pouring the water into the pitcher and slicing something as well.

"Really?" Link asked. "How come?"

Cremia was silent for a moment before answering, "Well, a pack of monsters attacked our home. We used to run a ranch..."

"By yourself?" Link asked as she walked back over to him with a tray.

"Our father ran it. We helped him along with our other sister, Malon." she replied, placing down the tray containing a pitcher of water as well as some sliced apples.

"What happened to them...?" Link asked slowly.

Cremia looked up at him, her eyes saddening slightly as she said, "I-I don't know...The moment we were attacked, I just grabbed my youngest sister, Romani, and took her along with me to Kakariko Village, where my best friend Anju used to live." she paused. "Apparently, the monsters were there, as well. So the four of us, Anju, Kafei, Romani and I, that is. We just ran and hoped to find somewhere else to live. We found this little village finally, and Alfonzo let us stay here."

Link nodded. "I'm sorry about that," he said sympathetically.

She merely nodded sadly. "I tried looking for Malon and our dad, but there just wasn't enough time." she sighed, moisture crowding around the corners of her eyes.

After a moment, she said, "Oh, look at me. Sharing my life story with a complete stranger." she smiled weakly. "I'm sorry. I'll just leave you be for tonight. Call me if you need anything, okay?"

Link nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Cremia."

She smiled back. "There's really no need to thank me, Link. We need to stick together in these dark times."

Link remembered himself saying the same words to Aryll, and suddenly felt homesick. He wondered what his family was doing at that moment.

Cremia stopped before heading into the hallway and turned to him again. "Say, how did you end up here, anyways?"

"Well, I was just on my horse," Link explained, "and Alfonzo and that other guy, Ferrus, stopped me and asked me to help them with Lina. But I'm no doctor."

"Oh." she said. "Well, it's good that they found you. At least you have a place to stay tonight. Where were you headed, anyway?"

Link hesitated for a moment. Should he trust her? Should he trust all of these other people in this town? He sighed. "Hyrule Castle."

She looked slightly surprised. "Really? How come?"

"I want to become a knight," he told her. "And help my family live better."

She looked at him. "That's so brave of you." she said admiringly. "So, you're going to leave tomorrow morning, then?"

Link nodded. "Yeah." he paused for a moment. "But I can't help but feel kind of guilty. You know, since I wasn't able to help Alfonzo's fiancée..."

"Oh, that's okay, Link. It was kind of Al's fault anyway. Calling a random person to help cure her." she sighed, shaking her head. "But who could blame him? He was scared to death, that poor guy." Cremia looked up at Link before adding quickly, "But I'm sure Lina's fine, Link. She probably has a fever, that's all. She's a really strong girl. She is Linebeck's sister, after all."

Link remembered the rude man who claimed himself to be Lina's brother. "You mean that...mean guy?"

Cremia looked confused for a moment but then laughed gently. "Linebeck's not usually like that," she said. "He's just as tense as Alfonzo. Lina's the only family he has left, and even she's going to get married soon, so Linebeck feels kind of lonely, I guess."

"Oh." Link replied. "Well, good night, Cremia. Thanks for everything."

Cremia smiled "Good night, Link." she replied, walking back into the bedroom, and leaving Link inside the small, dark room.

Not wanting to stay awake any longer, Link closed his eyes and dozed off.

...

He awoke when the sun was still low, and the trees were like silhouettes against the early morning light. Not that it mattered much. Hyrule would be covered in darkness soon enough.

Link got off the couch and stretched his arms and legs. He felt his stomach rumble from hunger. Remembering the food Cremia had set up for him the night before, Link took a few slices of apple and drank some of the water. Instantly, he felt much better, even though he would have preferred Aryll and Grandma's home cooked meals much more.

Link gathered up all of his belongings from the sack, and then headed outside. He looked around. All the candles were still burned out, and no one seemed to be awake. Link decided to leave the town as is, and write a quick note to let Cremia know that he was gone. He was in a hurry, after all.

When Link went over to the entrance to meet Epona, he saw someone with bright red hair sitting next to his horse, brushing her long main.

From behind, the girl looked exactly like Cremia, except shorter, and she didn't have the same long purple skirt. Instead, the girl was wearing a dress that was pale white like Cremia's shirt, with blue designs at the bottom which Link instantly recognized to be the Hylian words for "Lon Lon Ranch".

Link then recalled that Cremia had been talking to him about her youngest sister whom she had run away with. So, Link cleared his throat and called out slowly, "Hi, there. It's Romani, right?"

The said girl turned around and met Link's eyes. She suddenly got up and said, "Oh, hello. Romani was just admiring your horse." she gazed up fondly at Epona and sighed. "She's real pretty. What's her name, Mister?"

"It's Epona," Link answered, smiling slightly at her use of the third person and walking over to her. "You like horses?"

She smiled brightly. "Do I! Romani adores horses! In fact, Romani and her family even had a ranch back home!" she suddenly stopped to look down at her shoes. "But now we don't know what has happened to it."

There was a silence. Link, sensing to change the subject, said, "So, are you usually the first one up, Romani?"

She looked up, the smile returning. "Yeah, Romani usually is. Everyone else likes to sleep in," she made a face, "especially Mr. Linebeck."

Link chuckled. "I can imagine why. So, anyway, have you heard anything about Lina?"

Romani cocked an eyebrow. "How do you know her, Mister?"

"It's a long story," Link replied. " In short, I was asked to help cure her, but couldn't. But anyway, I kind of have to leave now. I have a long journey."

"Where are you going?"

"To Hyrule Castle." he said simply.

Romani grinned. "To see the princess? Ooh! If you come back, please tell Romani and Sister what she looks like, all right? We've always wanted to see her up close, you know!"

Link smiled. "Sure thing, Romani. By the way, call me Link. That's my name."

"Okey dokey, Link!" she said cheerfully.

Link started to climb on Epona, when Cremia walked out, yawning. She then noticed Link and her sister and said, "Oh...you're leaving?"

Link nodded. "Yeah. I'm really sorry, but I need to go."

She sighed. "That's okay. I understand."

He looked at her for a moment before saying, "I'll come back soon to visit,"

Cremia looked up. "Oh, no it's not that, Link. I mean, I'll miss you and all, I guess. But the thing is," she took a breath, "I kind of wanted to ask you a favor."

"Sure," Link said, hopping off of Epona to walk up to her. "What do you need?"

"Well," she looked at him uncertainly. "I've been thinking about it all night...Link, I wanted to go to the castle with you."

"Oh? How come?" he asked, confused.

She sighed. "All my life, I've been working at a ranch. Now I'm here, and there's nothing left that I can do with my life besides live it. I want to go to Hyrule Castle to pursue in something that I'll be good at, you know? And I want to do it with Romani at my side. I've wanted to go to Hyrule Castle and work there ever since I was a little girl. My father wouldn't let me, and neither would Alfonzo, once I moved here."

She looked at him to make sure he was listening. At his intent expression, she continued, "Link, I know that I'm asking a lot from you, but it will mean a lot if you could take us. And, heck, you're still a complete stranger to us, but, I don't know. There's something inside of me that's telling me to trust you."

Link thought for a moment. Take...them along? What if they were attacked by monsters? What if he couldn't protect them? What would happen then? But, Cremia said that she trusted him, and now he couldn't let her down. With one look at Romani and Cremia's hopeful faces, Link sighed and then smiled.

"Alright, I'll take you with me. It's the least I can do. After all, you guys did let me stay at your place-"

He was cut off by Cremia, who threw her arms around him and squeezed him tight. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed. "Oh, Link! You're amazing! I didn't think you'd actually do it!"

Link laughed slightly and returned the hug. "No problem, Cremia."

She let go of him and smiled. Then, she turned to Romani and said, "Come on, Ro. Let's go get our things together."

Romani nodded, sprinting into the house. Cremia simply walked over after thanking Link again.

Link nodded in response and then turned to Epona who merely neighed. Link smiled and stroked her elegant mane. "We're both pursuing our dreams, Cremia." he whispered.

After about half an hour, Cremia and Romani came out of the house, carrying two large sacks.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Link." Romani apologized as she and Cremia walked towards him. "Sister and I were busy packing up our things,"

"Yeah, we know you're in a hurry," Cremia added.

"It's okay, guys," Link said, giving them an assuring smile. "But there's just one problem...Epona's not big enough for all of us to fit."

"Oh, don't worry about that, Link." Cremia said, starting to walk off. "We have a small carriage thing that we can attach to her, if you don't mind."

"Not at all."

She smiled. "Good, I'll go get it then."

She ran off, leaving Romani standing near Epona and Link, grinning. "Romani was just wondering," she started, petting Epona on the back, "how long have you had her, Link?"

"Oh..." Link said, trying to remember. "Well, my friend Rusl gave her to me for my ninth birthday," he explained. "She was only a little foal, then."

Romani nodded, smiling. "Hey, that's how old Romani is now! Do you think I could get a horse for myself, too?"

"Sure you could," Link said. "You just need to have the money for it, you know."

She nodded. "Of course. Romani knows that." she sighed. "Romani will just have to save up her Rupees."

Cremia came back at that moment, dragging a large wooden carriage behind her. Despite her slim figure and light look, she was actually pretty strong. The carriage looked pretty heavy to Link, but Cremia was bringing it along smoothly.

When Cremia finally stopped the carriage, she was panting slightly. She smiled and then said, "Well, here it is."

"Okay, I'll attach it to Epona's reigns." Link said, taking the ropes from her.

When he was done, Epona whinnied, and Cremia and Romani laughed.

"She looks awesome!" Romani cried, running over and hugging the horse's thigh.

Cremia walked over as well and patted Epona with affection. "Thanks again for agreeing to take us, Link." she said.

Link smiled. "It's no problem, really, seeing as I'm heading there anyway. But wait," he paused suddenly, realizing something important. "What are you going to tell the others? What about Lina?"

The sisters exchanged glances for a moment. Finally, Cremia sighed and turned back to Link. "You're right. Let's go tell at least Alfonzo. One person needs to know, and it ought to be him."

Link nodded, and the three of them walked over to Alfonzo's house.

Cremia knocked on the door softly, as it was still very early in the morning. The door opened to reveal a very tired looking Alfonzo, and behind him, an even more tired Linebeck.

Cremia gasped. "Oh, my..." she said slowly as Alfonzo motioned for them to come in. "Are you two all right?"

Alfonzo sighed loudly, collapsing onto a chair next to Linebeck. "Fine, really." he yawned.

Cremia eyed them suspiciously. "You two were up all night, weren't you?"

Alfonzo nodded, his eyes drooping.

"Too worried to sleep," Linebeck added, laying his head down on the table.

Cremia, Romani and Link glanced at each other.

"Uh...Mr. Alfonzo, sir?" Link spoke after a moment.

Alfonzo opened one eye. "Oh! It's you, Link. I'm terribly sorry for last night. You know, dragging you into this..."

Link shook his head. "It's quite all right, sir. I, uh, found a place to spend the night at least."

Alfonzo smiled weakly. "Well, at least our little village was able to give you shelter. For that, I am glad."

"How's Lina, Alfonzo?" asked Romani, walking over to them.

Alfonzo frowned as he looked over at the said young woman. She looked the same as last night to Link.

"I don't know," Alfonzo replied finally. He sighed a long, deep breath. "What can we do to help her now?"

There was a long silence. Finally, Cremia said, "Um...Alfonzo? There's something we need to tell you."

Alfonzo looked back at them while Linebeck appeared to have dozed off. "What is it?" he asked, slowing getting up to stretch his arms and legs.

Cremia took a deep breath. "Romani and I are going to Hyrule Castle with Link." she said this rather quickly, with the words bunched together.

Alfonzo, however, seemed to have heard her clearly. "What?" he asked, shocked. "Why?"

"I want to work there, Alfonzo," Cremia told him, looking straight into his deep brown eyes. "Here in Aboda, I really can't make a living, can I? I mean, I really like it here, and the whole town's almost like a family to me now, but," she paused. "I need to start making my own money. I can't depend on you and Linebeck and the others to care for me and Romani anymore. You've all gone through enough already."

Alfonzo stared at her. "Cremia, you can't just leave!" he exclaimed after a moment of letting her words sink in. "You and Romani are practically our family now. And as a family, it's our job to take care of you two."

Cremia shook her head. "Family or not, you guys need to save your money for yourselves. You're all going to need it a lot more now if the wars are to start soon. Alfonzo, you and Lina are already going through a lot, with the wedding being delayed and all. The last thing you need is more jobs to support everyone."

Alfonzo stayed silent, thinking. "Well..." he started after a second.

Cremia continued, "Look, I really appreciate your help, Alfonzo. It's really saved my life and Romani's, too. But now that we're back on our feet, it's time that we start living on our own again. I know you'll understand."

Alfonzo looked at her, and then Romani, both of their pairs of blue eyes pleading. Finally, he sighed. "Okay," he said, "I'll let you go."

Cremia smiled and hugged him tight. "Thank you so much, Alfonzo!" she said with delight. "I promise, we'll visit as soon as we can!"

Romani followed her sister's example and hugged him as well. "Yeah! You won't regret this!"

Alfonzo smiled and patted them both on the back. "You two are like my own little sisters now, I feel sad saying goodbye."

Cremia nodded sadly.

"Wait, hold on a second!" Linebeck said suddenly. The rest of them turned to him in surprise.

"You're going away? For good?" Linebeck asked Cremia.

"Well, not for good, but for a little whil-"

"YES!" shouted Linebeck, grinning like a lunatic and jumping up and pumping his arms in the air. "OH YEAH, BABY!"

Link cocked an eyebrow at him, while Alfonzo just sighed.

"What do you mean?" Romani demanded, her hands on her hips. Needless to say, she was angry, despite her silence in the previous part of the conversation. "You don't value our good friendship, Linebeck?"

Linebeck stopped cheering and looked at her, tears of mirth growing from the corners of his eyes. "Oh, of course," he said, still smiling broadly. "But seriously, now I can move back into my own house! I'm _so_ sick and tired," he continued, turning to glare at Alfonzo, "of staying with this guy! I mean, it's bad enough seeing your only family member going off to get married and live with her _new_ family. But having to _live_ with her and her fiancé? That's just plain embarrassing, people!" Linebeck shook his head dramatically. "With all due respect, girls, I am SO glad you two are moving out of my house!"

Cremia looked at him, annoyed. "We'll miss you too, Linebeck," she muttered, sarcasm in her voice.

Nevertheless, she turned to smile sadly at Alfonzo. "Well, I guess this is good bye, Alfonzo," she said, embracing him once more.

Alfonzo smiled and patted her back. "See you guys soon," he whispered.

She let go, smiling. "Say bye to Ferrus and the others for us, will you? I'd do it myself, but Link needs to get there as soon as possible."

Alfonzo nodded. "Sure thing, Cremia."

"Oh, and I really hope Lina gets better, you guys," she added, now addressing Linebeck as well. "What do you plan to do?"

Linebeck shrugged. "Find another, _better_ doctor on the sidewalk?" he suggested, giving Link a pointed look.

But Cremia, Romani and Alfonzo just laughed, and Link couldn't help but smile sheepishly.

"Well, we'll see you soon, I hope," Cremia said, starting to walk out the door.

Alfonzo and Linebeck waved good bye, and with one last smile at the two of them, Cremia, Romani and Link headed outside to meet Epona.

Cremia walked ahead while Link and Romani stayed slightly behind.

Romani was staring down at her boots sadly. Link turned to her. "What's wrong, Romani?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

Romani shrugged. "Romani's okay. Just sad to be leaving already." she answered simply.

Link nodded, facing to the front again. He saw that Cremia wasn't in front anymore, so he figured she was probably already inside the carriage.

"Wow, Cremia's pretty fast, don't you thin-" he was cut off by a sound of someone screaming.

Romani and Link turned to face the source of the sound that was coming from the southern side of Aboda, the place Anju and Kafei had walked off to last night.

"What was that?!" shuddered Romani, moving a bit closer to Link.

Out of instinct, Link reached for his sword. At that moment, Cremia appeared out of the carriage, a shocked expression on her face.

Romani and Link turned to look at her. "Sister, what was-" Romani started.

"Guys, it's Anju!" she yelled, running ahead to the house.

"Wait, Cremia!" Link called. He ran after her, saying quickly, "Stay here, Romani."

Link ran up to the house, his sword in hand. Cremia was standing on the porch, pounding loudly on the door.

"It's jammed, Link," she said quickly, "It won't open,"

"Let me see,"

Cremia stepped aside, and Link pushed the door as hard as he could. It was no use. Whatever was holding the door back was too strong for either of them.

"Anju! Kafei!" Cremia called into the house, "Can you hear me?!"

There was no response, however, Link could hear sounds of weapons being drawn inside.

Cremia turned to face him, her eyes frightened. "Link," she said, trying to stay calm, "Go get Alfonzo and Linebeck."

"What? No, go get them, I'll try and find a way inside." he held up his blade. "I have a sword, and you aren't armed."

"Link." she said, looking straight into his eyes, "Now."

He was about to protest, but with one look at Cremia's serious face, he quickly nodded and sprinted off to Alfonzo's house.

He turned to look back while he ran, only to see Cremia kick the door.

Link's mouth almost dropped open in shock as the door not only opened, but flew out into the house. As Cremia rushed inside, the last thing Link saw before turning back in order to not crash into the wall was a blur of bright red hair dash past Cremia's previous location. _Romani,_ thought Link, _I told her to stay put!_

Link finally made it over to Alfonzo's, where he pushed the door open quickly, not waiting to knock. He figured Linebeck would chew him out for being so rude, but that moment was a different circumstance.

"Alfonzo!" gasped Link, "Come quick!"

Alfonzo, who was sitting at the foot of Lina's bed again with Linebeck and Ferrus, turned to Link, a confused expression on his face.

"What's wrong, Link?" he asked. "Weren't you and the girls about to leave?"

"We heard a scream from Anju and Kafei's house. Cremia busted to door open, and she told me to get you and Linebeck." Link said hurriedly

Alfonzo got up. "Really? What happened?"

"Just come on, you guys," Link said, rushing for the door again.

Alfonzo nodded. "Ferrus, stay with Lina, will you?"

"Sure," Ferrus replied.

Surprisingly, even Linebeck followed behind them, not saying anything for once.

The three of them rushed over to Anju and Kafei's house, where Cremia and Romani were no where to be seen.

As they made it inside, they saw the cause of the noise: about eight dozen pig-like monsters called Bokoblins, each wielding a different weapon, surrounding most of the house.

Link looked around for Anju and Kafei, and Cremia and Romani. He finally spotted Anju lying on the floor near the kitchen, and Kafei kneeling beside her, shaking her.

"Anju, sweetheart, wake up! Please!" the dark haired man cried desperately.

As the monsters spotted him, Link slashed at them with his sword. Alfonzo, who appeared to have a sword as well, protected himself with it as well.

As more of them came, Link killed them, but the numbers were growing, and there were far too many for Link and Alfonzo to handle alone.

"Linebeck!" Link grunted as one of the Bokoblins almost hit him, "Take Anju and Kafei out of here!"

"No way!" shouted Linebeck, "Since when are you the boss of me, kid?! Kafei, go get yourself and Anju outta here!"

"Link, look out!" a voice shouted as Link was about to yell at Linebeck for not doing what he told him to.

Link looked in front of him to see another Bokoblin charging at him, a sharp sword drawn.

As he was about to duck, the Bokoblin suddenly incinerated right in front of Link's eyes as a skillfully shot arrow pierced through his body.

Upon recovering, Link saw that the arrow was shot by none other than Romani.

"Romani?" Link asked incredulously. "How did you...?"

But the girl shook her head as she shot another arrow. "Not now, Link! We need to keep them from getting to the village!"

Link nodded and smiled slightly, admiring the younger girl's courage. "You got it."

As he slashed through some more monsters, Link yelled over the noise, "Where's your sister, Romani?"

"I'm right here!" Cremia's voice called from the left. Link turned to see her hitting through the Bokoblins with a large mop. She was cutting through them almost as fast as Link and Alfonzo.

"Nice job, Cremia!" encouraged the said engineer.

They kept fighting with the Bokoblins until a few minutes had passed, and Link realized something: _They're not getting lesser._

Link turned to look out the window, where he spotted some sort of a dark circle, which was producing more and more monsters by the second. He remembered reading something about dark portals in one of Aryll's books. According to it, dark portals were able to summon monsters very quickly and could only be produced by powerful sorcerers.

"Guys!" Link yelled. "There's a portal out there, we need to close it!"

But it was no use. Soon, the monsters surrounded them, with the only way out was the entrance, which they had wanted to block in order for the monsters to not attack the village.

"Listen," Cremia said as they fought. "We need to get out of here or somebody's going to get hurt badly."

"What are we going to do though, Sister?" asked Romani, her blue eyes saddening. "They'll just invade the rest of Aboda."

Cremia sighed. "There's nothing we can do, guys," she spoke loudly over the noise, "Come on, let's get out of here!"

The rest of them obliged, finally running out through the door.

"We don't have much time," Alfonzo warned, as he kept glancing at the horde of monsters charging out through the small entrance. "They're coming quicker and quicker. Romani, go grab Ferrus and the others. Tell them that we need to evacuate immediately."

Romani nodded, running off.

"Cremia," Alfonzo continued, "Try to get the last of our supplies. You know, from the emergency lodge?"

Cremia nodded, understanding. "Alright." she ran the same direction as her sister.

"Link." Alfonzo turned to him. "I don't think you have enough room in the carriage for everyone, do you?"

Link shook his head. "No,"

Alfonzo sighed. "We'll have to get them out of here and somewhere safe quickly, then. Do you know any place?"

Link thought for a moment and then looked up. "Ordon Village," he said. "My hometown. It's about a week's worth of walking from here,"

"Really?" Alfonzo eyed him curiously. "Are you sure?"

Link nodded. "Positive. My family's there. My sister and grandmother. Their both great at healing, so you can take Lina there, too.

"But how will we get there? We don't have any means of transportation, and Lina is in no condition to walk."

Link sighed before looking longingly at his horse and carriage, and then back at Alfonzo. As the two of them approached the fence where both stood, Link handed him Epona's reigns.

"Take Epona with you." he said.

"What? Your horse?" Alfonzo asked. "But Link-"

"Please, Alfonzo," Link said, "You all need her more than I do. I can still get to Hyrule Castle on foot, you can't. Please, just take Lina and Ferrus and Linebeck with you, and Anju and Kafei, too. Epona knows the way home. She'll guide you there."

Alfonzo looked like he was about to protest, but he then just looked down and sighed. Suddenly, he pulled Link into an embrace.

"Your parents must have raised you well, Link." he whispered softly. "May Farore bless your soul."

With that, Alfonzo ran off back into his house to get the rest of the villagers.

Link meanwhile stood at the front of the town, his sword slicing through every Bokoblin that came near him. He looked around desperately for Romani and Cremia to come back out, but they didn't for a while.

Finally, after Link had managed to kill several Bokoblins, two red heads caught his eyes and he saw the sisters emerge from the door of Alfonzo's house.

"Let's go, Link!" Cremia shouted. "Alfonzo told us you're letting him take Epona, so we need to run-quickly!"

Link nodded, and he started to get inside the carriage to grab Cremia and Romani's things. "Don't take out everything, Link!" Cremia told him. "Just my purple sack! That's the only important item!"

"Okay!" he grabbed the said bag from the carriage. As the girls approached him, he saw another huge pack of Bokoblins appear from what was left of Anju and Kafei's house

"Din's fire," Link cursed under his breath. "We need to do something about that portal,"

"We can't Link," insisted Cremia, "There's no time. We have to get ourselves and everyone else out right now."

"What about Aboda?" Romani asked sadly.

Cremia glanced down at Romani, her eyes downcast. "There's nothing we can do about it now, Romani. We need to move on. Things can't last forever." she replied quietly.

Link sighed as he looked at the large pack of monsters slowly coming towards them. He had learned from his father that Bokoblins had poor eyesight, and could only see about six feet in front of them. As long as they didn't come too close, Link and the girls were safe.

"What's taking Alfonzo and the others so long?" Romani wondered.

"Should I go check?" Link asked.

Cremia opened her mouth to answer, when the three of them saw Ferrus, Kafei, and Anju (who was limping), and Alfonzo, who was carrying Lina in his arms. It seemed as if they were sneaking out the back door of Alfonzo's house

"As long as they don't get seen," Cremia said, "they should be able to make it over here safely."

Link nodded; he had been thinking the same thing.

Wait. Someone was missing. Link looked over Alfonzo and the villagers again. Then, he realized...

"Guys!" Link shouted.

"Hey, sush," Cremia scolded him gently. "You'll attract attention."

"Cremia, we left Linebeck in the house!" Link said, his voice lowering.

Cremia's eyes grew wide as realization hit her as well. "Oh, my gosh!" she breathed. "Oh, Nayru...Link, do you think he's all right?"

Link gave her a grim look before making his gaze face towards the Bokoblin invasion. More and more seemed to be appearing from the house. "I don't know." was his reply.

Cremia looked down sorrowfully.

Link looked back towards Alfonzo and the others, who were slowly coming towards them.

When they finally did, Alfonzo panted and said, "We made it without those things seeing us. Now all we need to do is get everyone boarded on...Um, let's see. Kafei, Anju, go in first. Oh, and Ferrus, take Lina in there for me, please."

The said three people followed Alfonzo's instructions, and soon they were all inside the carriage.

Once they were done, Alfonzo turned to Link, Cremia and Romani. "Thanks again, Link." he said, smiling weakly. Suddenly, his expression became serious. "Wait, where's Linebeck?"

"That's what we were wondering, too," Link replied, looking over at the Bokoblins.

"We think he's still in the house," Romani spoke up. "He didn't follow us out, did he?"

Alfonzo thought for a moment before saying, "No, but why? Why wouldn't he?"

They shrugged. Suddenly, a loud screech came from the inside of town. The four of them turned to see a single Bokoblin wielding a large horn, summoning more and more monsters.

"Oh, Farore..." muttered Alfonzo, "There's even more."

"Um, it's worse than that, Alfonzo." Cremia said, taking a few steps back. "We've been seen."

"What?!"

She was right. Link turned to see a ginormous pack of Bokoblins running towards the carriage, screaming battle cries and their numerous weapons drawn.

"We need to get out _now_!" Link shouted as he started to untie Epona's reigns.

The Bokoblins were fast and plentiful. They were approaching very quickly, and Link wasn't sure if they were going to live through it or not.

"Girls, help me cover for Link!" Alfonzo ordered, drawing his sword. "Let's buy him some time to push the carriage out of the doors, and then we can lock it up so that they can't follow us."

The sisters nodded, Romani getting ready to shoot an arrow, and Cremia holding up her broom. The three charged towards the monsters.

Link grunted as the carriage refused to be pushed. It was stuck between two planks of wood on the fence. Link heaved to try and get it out. The Bokoblins were coming close, and his friends would only keep them busy for so long. It was now or never. With another last push, the carriage freed from the fence, and Link yelled, "Giddy up, Epona! Hurry!"

As she started walking, Link sprinted up to the large gates to the village which he pushed open, saying, "Get outside, Epona!"

As soon as his horse was outside of the village, Link shouted, "Guys! Come on, now!"

Cremia, Romani and Alfonzo faced him quickly, and when they saw the gates open, they ran.

Unfortunately, so did the Bokoblins.

Link's eyes widened as soon as he saw the pack. There were at least five dozen or so, each with large clubs, spears, bows and arrows, and even bombs.

His friends hurried over to Link, panting. "Hurry, Link can't hold the gates open so long," Alfonzo told the girls.

When they finally made it, and Alfonzo and Romani were outside, Cremia yelled, "Wait! Linebeck! He's still in there!"

Link, who stood in the center of them, holding the gates open, looked at Alfonzo and Romani, and then back at Cremia, behind whose back were the monsters sprinting towards them.

Link sighed as he frowned sadly, looking over at Anju and Kafei's former house, which was now burned down. Looking back down at Cremia, he held out his hand. "There's no more time." he said quietly. "Come on, we need to get out of here."

Cremia looked at him sadly, her eyes shining with tears. She took his outstretched left hand in hers, and with her other hand, she wiped her eyes.

Once she was out, she went over to Romani, and then all of them strained to get the gates closed. Fortunately, they were just in time, as one of the monsters was just about to get past as the gates clicked shut. There was pounding on the doors, but there was no way the Bokoblins would be getting out of there too quickly, since the whole fence was really tall, and Bokoblins were pretty dumb creatures.

Link sighed in relief as the four of them collapsed.

"We did it," Link coughed. "Alfonzo, hurry before they have time to open the gates."

But Alfonzo, Cremia and Romani seemed to not have heard him. They just stared straight at the locked gate, their expressions sorrowful.

Link didn't need to know who they were mourning. He understood that even if Linebeck had been kind of rude to him, he was still very close to his friends. Linebeck was their family.

"What will Lina say when she finds out...?" Romani said, her voice shaky.

Alfonzo put a hand on her shoulder. "We tried, Romani. We could have saved him, but there wasn't enough time."

Cremia sighed, closing her eyes and kneeling down on the ground in front of the gates. "Goddesses," she pleaded softly, "Please, take care of Linebeck for us. Tell him,"-her voice cracked as she broke into a sob-"that we always have cared about him. No matter what. We love him."

There was a silence as the group stood, mourning their lost friend.

"Now _that,"_ a gruff voice said from behind them, "is some sweet stuff. I think I'm gonna cry."

Cremia, Alfonzo, Romani and Link all jumped to see none other than Linebeck standing right behind them, not a single scratch on his body.

"Linebeck!" Cremia shouted incredulously, her eyes widening. "W-what happened? You're alive? Oh, my goddesses, you're alive!" she leaped up joyfully, throwing her arms around him.

Linebeck smiled a rare smile and chuckled, patting her back. "Always have been, kid. Why were you so worried?"

Cremia let go of him and punched him in the arm. "Why was I so _worried_ you ask?! I hate you!"

Linebeck looked surprised as he held out his hands in confusion. "What? But I thought you said 'we all love him.' What ever happened to that?"

Cremia scowled. "We thought you were _dead,_ Linebeck!" she hissed. "I hate you for making us worry our minds out!"

Romani and Alfonzo smiled and embraced him as well, as Link stood a bit awkwardly. In a strange way, he too, was glad to see Linebeck alive.

"Aww, guys." Linebeck said after a moment. "I'm glad to see you all actually care about me. Thanks."

"Of course we care about you," Romani said, smiling. "Linebeck, you're awesome!"

"Yeah, nothing's the same without you, Linebeck." Cremia agreed.

"Now, now, enough of that," said Alfonzo chuckling slightly, "Linebeck, how in the world did you get out of there, anyway?"

"I...uh, walked?" Linebeck shrugged. "How else?"

Rolling his eyes, Alfonzo said, "I mean, Link, the girls and I all left you in that house without noticing, right? How come you didn't follow us out? You were right next to us when we mentioned escaping; why didn't you come along?"

"Well, to close that portal, of course!" Linebeck said as if it was the most obvious thing ever. "Someone had to do it, and you guys were all too chickened out to do so. So, I did it for you. You're welcome."

"What?" Cremia said. " _You_ closed it? How?"

Linebeck shrugged again. "Easy. I slashed at it with my telescope."

When they all just stood gawking at him he said, "What? It's not that hard, you know. I literally just slashed at the darkness with my telescope, and it stopped. Simple as that!"

He demonstrated his point by pulling out the red telescope with seagulls painted on it, and pretending to slash it like a sword.

"But...How?" Link spoke up. "That seems way too easy to be true."

Linebeck gave him a dirty look. "You calling me a liar, kid?" he snapped, his voice taking on a challenging tone.

"He's got a point, Linebeck." Alfonzo said before Link had a chance to reply. "Dark magic can't be stopped that easily. There's something very fishy about all this."

"Well, whatever it is," Romani interrupted, "Alfonzo, Romani thinks we should get going. Those things in there won't be stopped for long." she gave the gates a pointed look.

Alfonzo nodded. "She's right. Linebeck, we'll discuss this on the way."

"To where?" Linebeck asked.

"Link's hometown. Some place called Ordon. Right, Link?"

Link nodded. "Yeah. Oh, by the way, Alfonzo,"

"Yes?"

"When you get there, be sure to tell Mayor Bo that I sent you. Tell him that I'm going to let whoever needs to stay in my house. Well, I'm sure my sister and grandmother wouldn't mind either way, but Mayor Bo isn't as easy going. Since there are six of you, you'll need to stay with other families there, too. I have a friend, Rusl. He'll surely let you guys stay at his place. I hope that'll be enough for all of you to have a place to stay, but if not, then you'll have to convince the others to lend you shelter."

Alfonzo nodded. "Got it. Thanks again, Link." he smiled, giving Link a one-armed hug.

Link nodded and returned the smile in response. "No problem. Take care, Alfonzo. Oh, but one more thing...Can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course."

"When you see my family, will you tell them I'm okay, please? The thing is, I only told my sister the night I was leaving, and my grandmother's probably really worried. So please, tell them that I'm fine."

Alfonzo nodded. "Sure, Link. But, how will I know who your family is? I mean, what are their names?"

At this, Link felt a sad sensation in his chest. He felt terribly homesick at the thought of his family. Nonetheless, he replied to Alfonzo, "Everyone calls my grandmother Grandma, but my sister's name is Aryll."

Alfonzo smiled after a moment. "That's a pretty name for a sister of yours." was all he said.

Link smiled slightly. "Thanks."

"Take care, all of you." Alfonzo said, turning to Cremia and Romani. He quickly embraced them both, saying, "I'll see you soon." and then finally hopped aboard Epona.

Link stroked his beloved horse one last time. "Take care of them on the way home, all right, Epona?" he said softly. "And let Ilia give you a bath when you get home." The horse whinnied in response.

"Link," called Alfonzo.

Link looked up at Alfonzo from the top of Epona's back.

"Thanks again. I'll try to write a letter to the three of you as soon as I can,"

Link nodded, smiling.

As soon as Cremia and Romani were done saying their good-byes to Anju, Kafei and everyone else, Alfonzo patted Epona, shouting, "Giddy up!" and soon, they were off. Epona whinnied and started to gallop off into the distance, leaving Link, Cremia and Romani standing in the grassy fields of Hyrule.

After watching them walk off for a while, Link turned to Romani and Cremia.

"Come on, guys." he said, turning around and throwing his sack over his shoulder. "We've got a long journey ahead of us. Hyrule Castle awaits."

* * *

 **Hope you all liked this super long chapter ^^(Don't worry, not all of them are going to be this lengthy) Don't forget to leave a review!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Well, I'm back with another chapter...regardless of there not being many reviews. Thanks to those who _did_ review and follow and read, though! I appreciate anyone who's taken the time to read my story. :) Anyway, we introduce a new character in this chapter! Which means, a new PoV! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Link, but sometimes it's nice to write in someone else's point of view. Just for a change, you know? Lol, enough rambling. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **~Aryll Jaynn**

* * *

Chapter Two

"Sister, Romani's tired." the red haired nine-year-old complained.

"Romani, I know. But hang in there, okay? We'll rest at nightfall." Cremia assured her, sighing deeply.

Link was walking ahead, thinking. It had only been a few hours since they had started walking, and he was starting to miss Epona. Link had never walked _this_ much in his life. When his father used to take him out of Ordon, it was usually on horseback.

"Guys, I'm beat," he said, stopping in front of the two girls. "Let's rest for five minutes."

Cremia and Romani didn't need to be told twice. The two collapsed down, just like Link, and sat in silence.

"Anyone hungry?" asked Cremia. "Or should we save the food?"

"Save it," Link said, yawning. "We'll need it later."

"How long is it going to take to get there, Link?" Romani asked sleepily. Link looked at her, and saw that she was leaned up against Cremia's shoulder, barely awake.

"Well, seeing as we don't have a horse," Link started.

"And we're resting so often," Cremia added.

"We should be there in about a few days or so, I think. Possibly a week."

Romani groaned softly, her eyes closed. "A week? Link, that's way too long."

Link smiled weakly. "Sorry, Romani," he said, "We'll just have to feel the burn till then."

But Romani had dozed off, snoring slightly. Cremia smiled and stroked Romani's long hair out of her face.

Link and Cremia sat in silence for a while.

"You know, you're really good with a broom," Link complimented.

Cremia laughed slightly. "My father taught me sword fighting tactics as a child, but I was never interested. I never knew they'd come in handy someday."

Link smiled. "Well, you're really talented. Like Romani is with her bow."

"Yeah. Dad taught her how to shoot."

After a moment, Cremia said, "So...tell me about your hometown, Link."

"What do you want to know?" Link asked, twirling a piece of grass.

"What's it like there?"

Link sighed as he envisioned his home and began describing it to his friend in detail. The small, wooden houses, and the large trees. The summers spent splashing in Ordon Spring and the winters spent inside with a warm fire, telling ghost stories with friends. He remembered Aryll's brave face, and Ilia's kind hearted nature. He thought of Grandma and her determination to keep her grandchildren healthy and strong.

"It sounds beautiful," Cremia said softly after his spiel. "What's your sister like? How old is she?"

"She's thirteen. Almost fourteen."

"Ah," said Cremia. "So, from what I understand you live with her and your grandmother, right?"

"Yeah." he hesitated at Cremia's expectant look. Somehow he could tell she was wondering about his parents, but would he be able to tell her?

"My mother and father died in a battle." he admitted softly.

Cremia's eyes widened as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Link." she said, looking straight into his eyes. "You didn't have to tell me if you didn't want to. I'm sorry." she apologized again.

Link shook his head. "It's all right, Cremia. There's nothing I can do about it. It's been five years now. I have to live with it."

She nodded, her eyes sad. "Don't worry about it. Romani and I lost our own mother at a very young age as well. I was only ten. Malon, my other sister, she was about nine, and Romani was barely a year old."

"I see," Link said. "So...I don't mean to pry, but...what do you think happened to Malon and your father?"

Cremia sighed as she looked down at the piece of grass she had been fiddling with. "I just don't know, Link." she whispered. "When the monsters attacked, I was in the barn, feeding the horses. Romani was helping Malon with the cuccos, and Dad was in the house." she sighed again, this time a shaky breath. "Romani came into the barn to give me something, and by that time, I heard a loud scream."

"Then what?" he asked quietly.

"It was Malon," Cremia explained. "She was yelling at Romani and me to get out of the barn and to run. When I ran outside, Malon and my father were no where to be seen, so I just avoided the monsters and began running to Kakariko."

There was a long silence. Link saddened at Cremia's story. Loosing half of your family and then running away to save the remaining members in one day anyway? Link had heard other people often complimenting him on his bravery and courage, but one look at Cremia and her struggle to help her family, and Link knew that she had gone through much worse than him. He felt her pain, feeling deep sympathy for a girl he'd only known for half a day.

"Maybe they aren't gone," Link said suddenly.

Cremia looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it," he said, "You said you only heard Malon yelling at you to run, right? But you never said you saw her or your dad get hurt. What if they did what you did? What if they ran somewhere else, too?"

Cremia looked down, her red hair covering her face. Her eyes had lost all hope. "It doesn't matter now anymore, does it? Romani and I are several miles away from where they could be right now. And with the war coming up, their only chance of survival would be to find a place to stay, and it's not very likely that they'll be as lucky as I was. Whatever happens, Link," she said after a moment, "I don't think I'll ever be seeing my father or sister again."

Link's heart broke at her wobbling, unsteady voice and her devastated comment. Never seeing them again even though they could still be alive somewhere? That was even worse than knowing they were gone forever.

After a few moments, Link felt his eyes droop down. Soon, he had dozed off, with one thought in his mind: _Maybe one day...I'll help Cremia find her family..._

...

Link awoke after what seemed like mere minutes. He yawned as he got up, stretching his arms and looking around. It was pitch black in Hyrule Field now, and Link realized just how long he'd slept.

"So much for five minutes, huh?" asked a small voice.

Link looked to his left and saw Romani, wide awake, and still in her sister's arms. Cremia was dozed off, her head resting against Romani's.

Link smiled weakly at her. "Yeah. I guess we were all kind of tired from this morning."

Romani smiled. "I got up a few minutes ago. You and my sister were still asleep, so I just sat here. Should we go now, Link?"

Link looked at Cremia, sleeping peacefully and then back at Romani. "Let's wait until Cremia gets up first. I think we should let her get some rest, too."

Romani nodded. "Okay."

"So, you excited to see the castle?" Link asked her.

Romani's eyes brightened at the question. "Oh, of course! I've never been outside of home before. The only houses I've seen are wooden huts and cabins!" she laughed slightly. "It'll be nice to see a huge castle for once."

Link nodded, smiling. "Hey, you're not speaking in the third-person anymore," he noticed. "How come?"

Romani shrugged. "It comes and goes. Besides, Sister says I'm getting too old for that now anyway. I used to talk like that a lot as a little kid."

At that moment, Cremia slowly opened her eyes and got up. "Hey, guys," she said.

"'Morning, Sleeping Beauty!" Romani teased her older sister affectionately.

Cremia gave her a weak smile. "Ready to go?" she asked, turning to Link.

"I'm ready if you are,"

She smiled in response and then got up. "Let's go, then. We'll probably need to walk all night since we already got our rest. Is that okay with you two?"

Link and Romani nodded, and finally the three of them set off again into the dark night.

...

Somewhere within a small, but grand office, a teenage girl sighed as she lifted her quill once again to sign yet another document from the peasants of Hyrule. _To Hyrule Castle:,_ The slightly crinkled paper read, _We would like to ask for some money for our new fence that we are planning to build to protect our beloved_ _village_ _. My wife and I are parents of two young children, and we do not wish to loose them to monsters if they are ever to attack our home. Please take our request into consideration, as we would very much appreciate your concern. Signed, Abe and Rose,of_ _Outset Island_ _Village._

The girl considered for a moment. Sure, a new fence wouldn't cost that much...but did she really have to approve of every single request? The money for a small, wobbly fence that probably wouldn't do much good in protection could be used for say, more weapons for soldiers, right? She thought that would be a better solution.

Still, despite her logical thinking, the girl could not bring herself to neglect the request. She knew the feeling of loss. She wouldn't want anyone to feel the same way.

Sighing, she signed her signature on the paper, silently praying to the goddesses that the citizens of Outset Island Village would be protected with the new fence. She then set the letter aside to move onto the next.

She thought about the war as she read, signed, read some more, and signed. Of course, _she_ had to be in charge when all went wrong in her country. No, it couldn't have been her mother, who was the wisest, most sensible woman to ever roam the planet. It just had to be her, an inexperienced princess left in charge of a doomed country.

 _Oh, Nayru. Please help me,_ she thought miserably.

"Your Highness?" someone called from outside the doors.

The girl looked up.

"Allow me, Princess," said the elderly man in the room, holding out his hand as she was about to get up. "You should continue your work."

"Thank you, Teacher," the girl replied, sitting back down and picking up her quill.

As Teacher strolled over to open the doors, the girl scanned over one more document and soon signed it as well, placing it in a pile of 'to be mailed' letters.

Teacher opened the door to reveal just another Hyrulean guard. He was tall, with brown hair and small glasses that rested on the bridge of his nose. "Master Teacher," greeted the guard, bowing to Teacher.

Teacher returned the bow, and then said, "What seems to be the problem, Private?"

The guard cleared his throat. "It's a message for the princess, Master," he said. He also muttered another thing to Teacher that the girl couldn't quite catch, but it seemed to be nothing of significance to her.

"I see." Teacher said gravely. Then, turning to the girl, "Well, I need to step out for a moment, Princess. It seems the kitchen department requires my assistance. I'll be back in a moment."

The girl gave him a quick nod, smiling to herself. Teacher had a secret passion for cooking. And as he left, the guard approached her desk cautiously and bowed.

"Good evening, Princess Zelda," he said politely.

"Good evening," she replied evenly. "So, what is the message?"

The guard cleared his throat. "It's from the Gerudo." he said quietly.

Princess Zelda raised an eyebrow. "The Gerudo?" she repeated incredulously.

The guard nodded.

Zelda looked down at her hands. _What could they possibly want?_ She wondered.

"They're threatening one of the towns, Your Highness." the guard explained. "They say that they'll be capturing as many people as they can from said town to bring to their leader, Ganondorf."

Zelda looked at him worriedly. "Which town? Who told you this?" she asked.

The guard held out a piece of paper. "It was in this letter to the castle, Your Majesty," he said. "They didn't mention which town it was. They didn't even say when this will happen."

Zelda took it from him, reading it over carefully. Surprisingly, the letter was written in Hylian, even though the Gerudo had their own alphabet and language system. As she finished, she let out a shaky breath. "Th-this is horrible," she said finally. "Please, Sir...um..."

"I am called Shad, Your Majesty," the guard told her, taking a small bow.

"OK, please then, Sir Shad," Zelda continued, "Will you take this to your captain and tell him to schedule a meeting with me? I need to talk to him about recruiting more members for our army." she met his eyes. "We'll need more people to defend Hyrule."

The guard nodded. "I shall give it to him, Your Highness." he said, taking another bow and then heading for the door.

Zelda was left alone for a few moments. Teacher came in a little later, worry creasing his face. "Are you all right, Princess?"

Zelda shook her head. "Not really...I just received bad news, and, well, I'm just really stressed out..."

Teacher nodded. "I understand. It is hard work running a kingdom at the age of...what is it again, Princess? Eighteen? Nineteen?"

"Seventeen," Zelda murmured, looking down at the paper that Shad had given her.

The elderly man nodded again. "Right. So, what did that guard have to say?" he took a seat across from the princess's desk and folded his arms.

Princess Zelda slid the note to Teacher. "It's a threat from the Gerudo," she explained. "They're threatening to attack the villages and homes."

Teacher's expression became grim as he scanned over the letter, tilting his glasses down slightly. "Hmm..." he said after a moment, "this is terrible,"

Zelda nodded. "Yes, I know." she looked up at him. "Teacher, what are we going to do? The Gerudo...they're very strong women. What's to stop them from torturing villages and towns? Or worse, killing people? Oh, Teacher, I'm really worried about this...What do we do?" she sighed, trying not to shed a tear.

"Zelda," said Teacher, using her name. The princess flinched slightly. Teacher only called her by her name when he was upset or worried. "Before anything else, let's do this: First, we must inform the captain of the guards about this, and ask him to recruit more members for the army,"

"I've asked Sir Shad to schedule a meeting with him already," the princess replied.

Nodding, Teacher said, "There's a smart child. Now, after that, we shall send troops to around Hyrule to protect the towns. We might not have enough men, but we'll try to send as many as we can. The rest will protect the castle."

Princess Zelda nodded. "All right." she looked up at the elderly man and smiled weakly. "Oh, Teacher, what would I ever do without you?"

Teacher returned the smile, walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're a wise girl, Zelda," he said, "Just like your mother was. I think you would be just fine without my guidance,"

"Oh, Teacher!" Zelda cried, "I would never be fine without you! You're my adviser; you help me run the kingdom. I cannot do it by myself,"

As the elderly man was about to say more, there was a knock at the princess's office doors.

"Master, Princess," the female voice called, "It is me, Impa."

Teacher walked over and opened the doors to reveal a Sheikah woman wearing a gray stealth-like outfit and boots. Her eyes were as red as bright rubies, and her stare was deadly, yet serene. Her skin had a slight tan to it, and though she was still young, in her early thirties or so, her hair was gray and very short, save for one strand on the side of her head that strayed near her lower abdomen.

"Impa," Zelda said. "Come in,"

The woman obliged, walking into the room and turning to Teacher. "If you will excuse us, Master," she said. "The princess and I...We must discuss...some personal matters,"

Teacher nodded, understanding. "All right," he said. "I'll leave you two,"

As he walked out the door, Zelda smiled. She knew that 'personal matters' was just another way of saying, 'it's girl time now, so get out.'

Impa had been Zelda's nanny since the day she was born. While her mother and father were busy, Impa was the princess's constant companion, and bodyguard. Though Impa was quite intelligent, Zelda's tutor was chosen to be Teacher, a close friend of Zelda's father, the king. Ever since her parents had passed, the closest people Zelda had to a family were Impa and Teacher. They were both helping with her reign, and Zelda loved them both more than anything.

When the doors closed, Impa turned to Zelda and said, "How have you been, my dear?"

Zelda got up, rubbing her eyes. "I'm fine, Impa, thank you." she yawned slightly.

Impa raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Princess? You seem..."

"It's the Gerudo, Impa," she said with worried eyes. "They've threatened one of the villages..."

Impa sighed. "I see. Oh, my dear," she started, walking over to Zelda and rubbing her shoulders. "You've got a lot on your mind for such a young girl. Is there anything I can do to help?"

The princess shook her head. "That's all right, Impa. I think I just need to lay down..."

The Sheikah woman nodded. "Alright, I'll go get your dinner to your chamber, then?"

"Yes, please," Zelda said gratefully.

Impa nodded and smiled before heading out the door. Zelda said weakly, "Um, Impa?"

She turned around. "Yes, Princess?"

Zelda sighed, wincing as pain shot up her temples. "Ugh...oww...Impa, I think I'm coming down with something..."

Impa's red eyes took on a worried expression as she hurried over to Zelda, asking, "Do you want me to call the doctor?"

"No...Please..help me get to my room..." Zelda requested weakly as she struggled to even keep her position.

Without saying anything, Impa nodded and put her arm around Zelda's shoulders and led her to her room.

As they were walking extremely slowly over to the princess's chamber, Impa asked in a very motherly tone, "Zelda, I really hope you aren't falling ill."

Zelda winced again, though this time, not in pain. There was her name again. Impa, like Teacher, would only use it when she was worried.

"N-no, I'm okay, I just...have a slight headache, that's all." Zelda tried to assure her nursemaid. "It's probably caused by all of the...you know, stress."

"Are you sure?" Impa asked.

Zelda nodded, trying for a weak smile. "Yes, Impa. I'm sure."

Impa gave her another worried look before the two of them continued through the dark, lonely halls of Hyrule Castle in silence.

Once inside the chamber, Impa helped the princess into a comfortable gown, even though it wasn't anywhere near the time Zelda usually fell asleep.

After a quick chat, Impa hurried downstairs to bring Zelda her warm dinner.

A few moments later, there was a knock at the chamber doors. Zelda straightened, resting her back on the headboard, and called weakly, "Who is it?"

"It is Sheik, my princess," answered the deep, almost dark tone of the male Sheikah.

"C-come in..." Zelda replied, barely able to keep her eyes open.

The doors opened, revealing a tall man in a ninja-type outfit, with blue and gray designs, including one indicating an eye with a single tear drop, the Sheikah symbol.

Zelda tried to smile, but failed, coughing into her hand. Sheik was Impa's apprentice, training to become a full-fledged Sheikah warrior one day himself. He was smart, tough, and also poetic at times. He shared Impa's blood red eyes and her serious face. Despite his dark description, Sheik was kind and caring, and would do anything to protect his princess from harm.

"Are you all right, Princess?" he asked, walking over to her gingerly.

Zelda coughed again, shaking her head. "Not really. I just was informed of some bad news...and, well, stress got the better of me. I think I'm falling ill."

Sheik looked worried, but kept his calm, quiet tone as he said, "Is there anything you need, Princess?"

Zelda thought for a moment. Was there anything she needed? Yes. Her mother back. Someone other than her to rule the kingdom. Someone smarter, stronger. But she knew even Sheik, who had been her friend since birth, who was almost like an elder brother, would not be able to make that happen.

"Sheik..." Zelda said quietly, her headache growing. "Come here."

Sheik obliged, walking over to Zelda and taking her hand.

"Yes, Princess?"

"If I die, Sheik," Zelda started, "Make sure someone good is left to take care of Hyrule, all right?"

"Princess, do not say that. You will not die from a slight headache," Sheik answered, a slight hint of amusement in his voice. "You are a great leader. Death cannot overtake your strength."

Zelda looked at him and sighed deeply. "I know, I'm being silly. But, Sheik, Hyrule is in grave danger. If I don't do something quick, it will shatter."

"It will be fine, Zelda," Sheik replied. This time, Zelda didn't flinch at her name, as Sheik wasn't only a bodyguard, but a close, childhood friend. Ever since he had begun his Sheikah training at the age of seven, he had been taught to call Zelda 'Princess' and 'Your Highness'. Respect was a very crucial thing to learn for a training Sheikah. Even so, when they were children, Zelda had allowed him to call her by her name every now and then when Impa wasn't around.

"You think so?" Zelda asked her friend. "Sheik, I'm scared. What if-"

"Shh," Sheik said, putting a finger to his lips. "Princess, you cannot live your life with 'what ifs'. Just remember, whatever happens, it happens for the best. You must believe in your strengths. Be brave, Zelda. Be brave, and nothing shall touch you or your country."

Zelda stared up at him, taking in his words. He could be so deep at times. Then, she nodded. "I will, Sheik. I will be brave. Thank you."

Sheik smiled a rare smile and patted her shoulder. "Do not thank me, Princess. I was just doing my job."

"Oh? What's that? What's your job?"

Sheik smiled again slightly before saying, "Being there for you always."

And with that, Sheik stood up and left, leaving Zelda alone with a storm cooking its way up outside.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Leave a review! :)**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! It's been a while, but here's Chapter Three! Things are finally about to get started, and this chapter's sort of the transition from the trip to the castle to actually getting there. Read on!**

 **~Aryll Jaynn**

* * *

Chapter Three

Link sighed as he trudged on up a hill, Romani in front of him, and Cremia by his side. They had made it for about another week, stopping briefly to rest during the evenings. Hyrule Castle was just around the bend.

The trip had been oddly uneventful, but Link at least had gotten to know the sisters a lot better. During the long hours of the afternoon, he'd pass the time chatting with Cremia, whom he gained much liking for the more he talked to her. She was a great listener, and her stories were unlike any other's he'd heard before. She was also very caring, as an older sister would be, and although she was younger than Link, she acted as the mother of their small group, telling him and Romani when it was time to sleep and eat, preparing their meals, etc.

Romani was a night owl, Link learned, so the two would stay up late laughing and talking, quietly whispering in order to not be scolded by Cremia. She reminded him greatly of Aryll in her younger years, and being with her made him feel at peace. The only difference was that Romani was much more cheerful and carefree. That thought made Link a bit sad. Aryll had been like that a long time ago. But things had changed.

"Link, not to be a bother, but how much longer is this going to take? By my understanding, we should have reached there by now..." Cremia said, waking Link up from his train of thought.

Link grunted as he almost slipped on a patch of wet grass on the hill, but Cremia grabbed his arm. "Be careful!" she said. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Cremia," Link said, back on his feet and trying for a smile. "Um...I'm sure we'll be seeing the top of the castle soon. Maybe just a bit further."

"Have you ever been to the castle, Link?" Romani asked from ahead of him.

"No," Link answered back. "This is my first time, too."

"Then how do you know the way there?"

"Well...My father used to take me this route to go places near the castle. I know the way because of him."

Finally, the three of them were at the top of the hill. "Woah!" Romani breathed in amazement at the beautiful sight. Link couldn't help but stare at it as well. From the top of the hill, he could see Hyrule Castle, glistening in the morning sun, and shining with bright radiance that only a castle as majestic as it could. There were tall mountains in the background, and a view of Castle Town just below.

"It's beautiful," sighed Cremia, speaking for them all.

Link nodded. "It sure is."

"Well, what are we waiting for, guys? Let's go there!" Romani said excitedly, sprinting ahead.

"Romani, wait!" Cremia laughed as she started after her sister.

Link smiled as he walked after them. They had made it, no harm, and they were all safe. But, as he watched the two girls ahead of him, Link couldn't help but feel...as if he was being watched.

He looked behind himself. Nothing. That was weird. Link sighed as he shook his head. "I'm just being paranoid." he muttered.

"Link! Hurry up over there!" Romani called. "You're so slow!"

"Coming," he replied with a laugh, speeding up to catch up to his friends

...

Link and his friends made it to Castle Town in less than an hour after they first caught sight of it. Link, not being used to large crowds of people, felt uncomfortable at first, but soon grew fond of the feeling of so many people around him. Despite the upcoming war so many were sensing, the people of Castle Town were lively and happy, laughing and chatting as if nothing was wrong.

The town was very vivacious. Children were running around, their mothers warning them about safety, and their fathers encouraging them to play. Dogs were wandering the streets, and there was a shop at every corner.

Cremia took a long, deep breath. "Mmhm," she sighed, "Do you guys smell that?"

Romani and Link took a whiff, and soon, they realized what she was referring to.

"Bread," said Romani.

"Fresh from the oven," Cremia nodded, smiling. "I'm so hungry. Let's go get some."

The three of them followed the delicious aroma over to a bakery, where one young woman was stirring something in a large pot, muttering to herself.

"Excuse me, Ma'am," Cremia said politely, walking up to the counter, "We'd like one loaf of bread, please."

The woman looked up, obviously surprised. "Oh, hello, there," she smiled. "One loaf? Coming right up."

She walked away inside the small booth.

"Sister?" asked Romani, "Do we have enough money for the bread?"

"We should," Cremia assured her, pulling out some money from a small bag she'd been carrying. She had a purple Rupee, which was fifty in total.

The woman came back after a few moments, a white paper bag in her hands. "Here you are, dear," she said. "That will be one hundred Rupees, please."

Cremia, who was reaching out for the bag, stopped. "A hundred? Oh...I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't have that much with me right now..."

Shaking her head, the woman said, "Oh, don't worry about it, dear."

"Oh, but I couldn't-"

"Please, honey, my treat." the woman insisted, her bright brown eyes smiling.

Cremia looked like she was about to protest, but amended quickly. "Thank you so much, ma'am!"

"You're very welcome, my dear. Are you children new to Castle Town?" the woman asked. "Where are your parents?"

"We, uh, came alone," Link replied.

"I see." the woman said, nodding thoughtfully. "Well, if you need anything, my name is Piper."

"Thank you, Piper," Cremia smiled. "Oh! Can you tell us the way to the castle, please?"

"The castle? Whatever for?"

"We're planning to get jobs there," Link explained.

"Oh, well, the path's just around that way," Piper said, pointing to the north. Then, with a smile, she said, "Good luck."

"Thank you," Link said, and then the three of them made their way over to a nearby bench to eat the bread.

Cremia took out a small knife from her sack and cut the bread into three equal pieces, handing one to each of them. As they sat, enjoying the warm food, Link said, "So, we made it."

"We sure did," Cremia agreed. "Oh, Romani, isn't this great?"

Her sister nodded, her mouth still full of the bread.

"It was awfully quiet, don't you think?" Link asked. "The trip here."

Shrugging, and wiping her mouth with her hand, Cremia replied, "I guess we just got lucky."

"Why? Were there supposed to be, Link?" asked Romani, gulping down the last of her food.

"I dunno," Link shrugged. "It's just that, with the war coming up, I expected it to be a less safe journey, that's all."

"Well," said Cremia, "the important thing is, we made it unharmed."

Link nodded. "You're right. So, are we ready to get going?"

Hee got up, and started towards the direction Piper had pointed them in. Cremia and Romani followed, and Link's heart pounded with excitement.

...

"You called for me, Princess?" called a voice from the other side of the door.

Zelda looked up from the papers she'd been reading. "Who is it?" she asked. She figured it was Russell, the guard captain, since she had a meeting with him, but as Teacher had told her, she couldn't ever be too sure.

"Captain Russell, Your Highness," he replied from outside the doors.

"Come in,"

The man did so. As he walked in, Zelda noticed his attire, which was different from other guards. Russell wore a green tunic with a hat, and armor along with sturdy brown boots. Without thinking, Zelda asked, "Sir Russell, your clothes...Why are they different?"

Looking slightly confused, Russell replied, "Well, one reason is so that the rest of the army knows who to listen to. And, well...it's kind of a memory of our old friend, Sir Heron."

Zelda nodded, understanding. "He was a great man..." she said sadly.

"He was," Russell agreed. "I'm not sure you remember, Princess, but when you were younger, Sir Heron had saved you-"

"From the fire in the castle." Zelda finished, nodding. She smiled sadly. "I don't remember much of it. I was only four years old. But I remember my mother being very frightened. I still can't believe Sir Heron had risked himself to save us..."

At this, Russell was silent. Zelda knew neither of them wanted to mention that the fire had taken her mother's life.

It had been a dark night, and Zelda had been in the bed chambers with her mother, claiming that she couldn't sleep. Her mother had been singing to her, and then a few moments later, a fire had crept into the room, and no one knew why. With her quick thinking, Zelda's mother had been able to save her daughter with the help of Sir Heron, the Guard Captain of the time. But they had been too late. The fire had taken the queen's life.

Although Sir Heron had survived the fire, he had died five years ago in a battle, trying to protect the castle from dangerous invaders. His wife, Zelda had heard, died while she was on her way to deliver something to Heron at the castle. Monsters had attacked her, as well.

 _It's so sad..._ Zelda thought. _What if Sir Heron and Lady Rela had children? They must have been so devastated..._

"So, you wanted to speak with me about something, Princess?" Sir Russell asked, shaking Zelda from her thoughts.

"Yes," she nodded, getting back to business. "Sir Russell, I assume you've heard from Private Shad about the Gerudo threat to the towns?"

He nodded. "Yes. What is it that you want us to do about this?"

"Well, you're the captain, so it's up to you to decide what's best to do...but I figure it would be good to send a few men to each of the towns. You know, for safety."

Russell thought for a moment, and then shook his head. "I apologize, Princess Zelda, but I don't think we have enough men for the job...Hyrule's a big place. We'll need a lot of people if we want to guard each and every province...I mean, there's Zora's Domain, Anouki Village, Goron City, Castle Town, Kakariko, and so many more."

Zelda sighed as she realized it. "Is there any way we can recruit more members for the army in time? Or anything at all?"

"Well, there's another Recruiting Ceremony today, as you know...But I still don't think we'll have enough people by then. Not to mention, in order to attend the ceremony, one must ace the training exam..."

Zelda nodded grimly. "I'll have to think about it more," she said. Then, she got up. "Well, thank you for your time, Sir Russell. I'll see you at the ceremony later."

With a nod, and a quick good-bye, Russell left, leaving Zelda more hopeless than ever, at her kingdom being able to stand for much longer.

...

Link couldn't believe what he was seeing. The castle, now in the morning sun, looked even more grand and spectacular, and even intimidating. Link wondered how he was ever going to get into the army, with his lack of practice. Not to mention, the methods taught here must have been different from what he had learned...But he knew his family needed the money, and he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted. He would ace the training session.

"Oh, it's beautiful out, isn't it?" Cremia asked, breaking Link's thoughts.

"Yeah! Hey, Sister? Do you think we'll get to see the princess?!" Romani asked excitedly.

"I don't think so," Cremia replied. "Princess Zelda only sees soldiers who are needed for the army. Everyone else gets appointed by the-"

"Royal nursemaid," Link murmured.

Cremia nodded in agreement, and then the three of them continued on towards the castle entrance. Once there, they saw a few guards standing as still as wooden boards.

"Can we help you kids?" one asked.

"We're here for jobs," Cremia told him.

The guard raised an eyebrow. "All of you?"

"Yes..." Cremia answered.

"You," the guard pointed at Link. "How old are ya, son?"

"Seventeen." Link replied. "Why do you-?"

"And you, miss?" he ignored the last part of Link's answer and pointed at Cremia.

"'Sixteen,"

"And you, kid?" he lastly asked Romani. The guard was a Kokiri, Link guessed, because even Romani towered a few inches above him.

"I'm nine." Romani replied.

Shaking his head, the guard said, "Your brother and sister can enter, but not you. Sorry, kid."

"Link's not my brother..." Romani said, looking at the guard as if he were stupid.

"What?" Cremia exclaimed at the same time. "But, Sir, she's my sister, you can't just-"

"She's too young." the guard replied simply. "Ya gotta be at least twelve to get a job here, miss."

"But," Cremia pleaded, "I can't just leave her alone here! Besides, she's a great worker, and she's really mature for her age. I swear!"

"Please let her come," Link urged.

"No can do," said the guard stubbornly. "Now, if you two want to get a job, go in, or get out of here."

Surprised at the guard's sudden rudeness, Link was about to say something, but as soon as he opened his mouth, a gruff woman's voice called from behind the gates.

"What's wrong over there, Private?"

All four people turned to see a tall woman with gray hair and a ninja type suit. Her red eyes glowed in a not-so-friendly way as she walked over to them.

"Morning, Lady Impa. These people want me to let this kid in for a job. But she's only nine, and that's against our policy, is it not?"

The woman, Impa, studied Link, Cremia, and Romani very carefully. Then, to Romani, she said kindly, "Is this your older sister and brother, honey?"

"Cremia's my big sister," Romani explained. "Link's just...a friend, I guess."

Nodding, Impa said, "I see. And are you here with your parents?"

"No," she replied.

Impa nodded again. "All right. Well, come on in, you three."

"What?" the guard asked. "Lady Impa, I thought-"

"Last time I checked, it was _my_ job to employ people for the castle jobs, was it not, Private Mido? Now get back to work." Impa told him firmly, leading Link and the sisters away, into the castle.

"Thank you so much," Cremia breathed as soon as the guard was out of earshot.

Impa turned to them, smiling slightly. "It's no problem. Besides, we could use the help around here."

Not knowing what else to say, the rest of them kept silent, until Impa led them over to a waiting area.

"Now, what jobs are each of you here for?" Impa asked.

"I'm here for signing up in the Hyrulean Army, Ma'am." Link told her.

"And we just want something to earn us at least twenty Rupees per hour," Cremia said, "Nothing too special."

Impa nodded. "All right. Well then, Cremia, is it? Why don't you and your sister come with me, and I'll check in some of the departments if there's any help needed. And I suppose you two want the same job?"

"If you could get us one,"

"Right. Well, come with me."

"What about Link?" Romani asked. "Where'll he go?"

Impa looked over at him. "Link...? That's your name?"

Link nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."

It looked as if she was about to say something, but then she shook her head. "Well, the guard recruiting test starts in about half an hour. Go on over to that entrance," Impa pointed to the left side, where there was another dome shaped structure, like the one they were in. "That room is where you'll be waiting."

Link nodded. "Thank you." As he was about to start walking out, Cremia said, "Wait, Link. Hold on a sec."

He turned to look at her. "Yeah?"

Cremia smiled, moisture crowding in the corners of her eyes. "Thank you so much for this, Link. I couldn't have gotten here without you. I really owe you one."

Link returned the smile and shook his head. "There's no need, Cremia. We're all in this together."

She nodded, and then leaned over and kissed him gently on the cheek. "Thanks again..."

Link smiled and felt himself blush slightly as she turned away, giving his hand a final sqeeze.

With that, she, Romani and Impa walked away while Link stood, watching them go. His dream was slowly approaching. He was almost there. He was ready.

* * *

 **Okay, the end was really cheesy but I wrote this a few years ago. ^^ Hope you all enjoyed! This story has reached 300 views, which I'm really happy about! 300 people have visited this story. Crazy, right? That may seem small, but it's quite incredible to me! Still not many reviews, but just knowing that people have at least read some parts of my story makes me really happy.**

 **Until next time! Please review! :)**


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